Sunday, December 18, 2011

We've been going full throttle since Thanksgiving, which is part of why I've neglected my blog. But, with a wonderful 2-week break upon us, it's time for some catch up.

I think the biggest news of the last few weeks has been our health. I haven't had any stomach trouble or episodes of nausea in several weeks. Lately, I've had to watch my diet closely and be careful eating/drinking to minimize feeling awful. The upside is, fat and alcohol seem to be triggers for me feeling bad...so it's easy to maintain my goal weight! Other than a case of tennis elbow, I'm hanging in!

Devin may have set some sort of record. She was healthy & didn't miss a day of school until this week. She went from August 15th to December 15th...4 months without a sniffle. This week, she caught a cold and we kept her home a few days. After 2 days, she was actually ASKING to return to school. She also chose to attend a Parent's Day Out afternoon, we were thrilled.

This is round one of Xmas sugar cookie decorating. Years ago, I found THE BEST recipe for sugar cookie cutouts and frosting. They're very easy to make and delicious. Not too sweet, since all the frosting and candy add enough.

Devin has been sewing up a storm at school. Her teachers report that it's one of her favorite activities and she can focus for long periods of time on finishing her work. I thought these owls were precious.

But, then she brought home this tiny gingerbread house. So sweet:)

We all worked on Xmas decorations around the house. The website "Pinterest" is my new time sucker and I find all kinds of inspirational ideas browsing those pins. For our mantle, I used Ball jars, my Grandma's red glasses and epsom salt for snow. It really twinkles and shines at night, which was my goal.

I had a crazy idea to visit the Kentucky Expo Flea Market-Christmas Show last weekend. As you can see, we were not exactly dressed to see santa. But, Devin insisted and she got her wish. I think we'll take a mall trip this week, in a more Christmas'y' dress. Plus, you can't tell Santa enough times how much you want an American Girl Doll....apparently.

So, this week was Devin's first Holiday Performance for school. Her class (and all classes) rehearsed for weeks & she was very excited for the evening.

Although, she was a bit apprehensive in the first moments. The church was BIG!

Once her friends arrived, she was all smiles.

Thanks to Matt for even attempting pictures. I don't have a telephoto lens yet ($$$) and I wanted to just enjoy the music and the moment. This gives a slight glimpse into the coolness of having 3-6 year olds in one class. Devin can be a leader and a learner in her class. She loves to help the younger children learn how to thread a needle or show them a more advanced lesson. But, she also sees the 6 year olds reading and doing more sophisticated math lessons...which is a big motivator for her.

This is the last time we'll see Miss Katie for a while. She's (obviously) going to deliver in the next few weeks and then take 3 months off....so Devin will have to adjust. She is the lead teacher and Devin is very attached. Luckily, the assistant teacher is Montessori certified and will take over as the lead teacher. They also found a 3 month substitute, to help with consistency. I'm sure I will get some subbing opportunities, during the cold winter months!